I save you the effort:
Step one - buy chisels and a mallet.
Step two - find a log (any log will do for the first carve).
Step three - place chisels on the log and hit the chisel with the mallet (very important: Do not hit the log or hands with the mallet).
Step Four - Use ice for bruises, tweezers for splinters, bandages for small wounds and super glue for deep cuts!

OR
Contact Polynesiac on this forum. I believe he has done classes in the past.

the first thing I'd do if I were you is head over to youtube, you know what's great about youtube? anything you ever wanna figure out, someone has figured it out, and posted a video on youtube.... from tiki carvin' to changin' the brakes on a 59 chrysler... it's all there... and it's free...

but to a certain degree Tom is right. the best thing to do is get a few logs and just start doin' it. the first one may end up in the fire pit, and for that matter, the first TEN may end up there. but who cares?

and if you're lookin' to make mostly simple stuff, a small chainsaw and an angle grinder with a flap disc will get you pretty far, and it's fast. instant gratification... lol..

I agree with with what has already been said. I give your friends girlfriend credit for wanting to buy him tiki carving lessons. That's a very nice gesture but I don't think she's going to find anyone that gives lessons. Tiki carving is definitely a learned art but there is no reason your friend can't start carving on his own. It will be a bit easier if he has any previous woodworking skills. That's how I started. I had woodworking skills but never did any carving until recently. I would suggest getting some basic tools. Then get some good tiki reference material. Photos are great but having real authentic tikis in a collection to look at is great reference carving material. I look at my tikis all the time when I'm carving for ideas or if I get stuck deciding where or in what steps I want to make cuts. When I post on the forum in my carving thread I try to add step by step pictures so new carvers can see the tiki progress as it's carved. It might seem boring to long time carvers but it might help a new carver get started.

Your girlfriend might want to invest in some Martin Denny CD's to help you foster your inner tiki. That's where the good stuff comes from. It never hurts to browse the various carvers here to get some inspiration too.

On 2013-12-10 12:14, AlohaStation wrote:I save you the effort:
Step one - buy chisels and a mallet.
Step two - find a log (any log will do for the first carve).
Step three - place chisels on the log and hit the chisel with the mallet (very important: Do not hit the log or hands with the mallet).
Step Four - Use ice for bruises, tweezers for splinters, bandages for small wounds and super glue for deep cuts!

OR
Contact Polynesiac on this forum. I believe he has done classes in the past.